Gray-The Gray Town Council met in another long workshop
Monday night to discuss six items, and discuss they
did, until 11:30 p.m. The hall was empty except for
the Council, Manager, Planner, Public Works Director
and the reporter. With no audience members or other
reporters, discussions echoed from the walls into
the wee hours.
First up was a two-hour discussion of Planner Dick
Cahill's three page draft of a scope of work associated
with the Community Development Block grant program.
A year ago, the Town was awarded a grant of $10,000
to begin a scope of work that would both look at ways
to improve the downtown and also qualify the Town
for a phase two grant that would allow them to compete
for an even bigger pool of money. The Town was required
to participate financially, so the local contribution
voted last year was $1,000. Greater Portland Council
of Governments (GPCOG) would be facilitating the work,
thus they would be paid the $11,000.
The Council reviewed the draft scope of work, but
had questions for planner Dick Cahill, who created
the draft and presented it. The plan proposed to split
the work into two phases. "Phase 1 would appoint
a Village Master Plan Advisory Committee, convene
a study team that would define work elements that
included looking at traffic and parking, pedestrian
pathways, blighting influences, landscape and design
standards, leisure time activities, land use, housing,
historically significant structures, and infrastructure.
Phase 1 would also complete a business inventory,
assess the Village, complete a public forum and make
recommendations."
Phase 2 would expand the study team, review the work
elements, conduct a market analysis, develop traffic
and pedestrian circulation and land-use plans, review
Gray Land use ordinances, hold a public meeting and
make recommendations. It was estimated that the Phase
1 timeline would be completed in six months.
The Council wanted to know if the above-described
work elements were a repeat of work already completed,
such as is contained in the Eyerman Report of Economic
Development Strategies, a report paid for in 2001.
the Comprehensive Plan also contained several of the
above elements, which was also a paid-consultant generated
report.
Mr. Cahill, and Town Manager Mitchell A. Berkowitz
said that this report would build on previous reports.
Councilor Crane also wanted to know if existing town
government could maximize the work. He noted that
there were several committees already either working
on or charged with working on items similar to what
Mr. Cahill outlined in the scope of work, such as
the Ordinance Review Committee, Planning Board, staff,
and Community Economic Development Committee (CEDC.)
"Where is CEDC in all this?" Mr. Crane asked.
Mr. Berkowitz responded, saying that Mr. Cahill had
been working on zoning issues for the bulk of the
year and that Council needs to prioritize where they
"want to allocate their internal resources."
Councilor Crane also wanted to know if the completion
of the work would commit them to a particular course
of action or obligate them to spend more money. Chair
Gary Foster agreed, saying that he voted against the
acceptance local contribution of $1,000. "I didn't
like the idea of spending taxpayer money to get more
taxpayer money," Mr. Foster said.
Mr. Berkowitz said that once the plan is completed
that no obligations are incumbent on Council. Other
than the Town having to pay GPCOG up front in two
segments and then be reimbursed, the town was not
under any obligation.
The Planner was also asked what scope of services
GPCOG already renders to the Town as members. Mr.
Cahill answered that this scope of work was above
what the organization usually offers.
Councilors wanted assurance that there would be no
broadening of the work, thus necessitating a broadening
of the payments to GPCOG.
Councilors John Welch and Vice-Chair Andy Upham wanted
to know what was the gain from doing this and what
were the problems that this was going to solve. Mr.
Cahill could not answer but Mr. Berkowitz said that
"In order to leverage state and federal dollars
you have to have a plan." The initial block grant
allows the Town to compete for more dollars later.
Mr. Cahill did not answer Mr. Upham's query as to
how much it enable the town to apply for in subsequent
phases.
According to the Housing and urban Development website,
the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program,
along with many others that are offered, is active
and awards are substantial. "The 2005 SuperNOFA,
which was published on March 21, 2005, announced approximately
$2.26 billion in 53 funding opportunities nationwide,
tailored to help communities design and implement
housing and community development programs that address
local needs.
Recent awards in Maine have been 2005: CDBG: Frannie
Peabody Center, Portland, $990,976. In 2004 CDBG Technical
Assistance was given to Coastal Enterprises, Inc.
of Wiscasset, $20,000. Also in 2004, the Rural Housing
and Economic Development Awards awarded the Growth
Council of Oxford Hills $150,000. 2004, Rural Housing
and Economic Development Awards gave the Penobscot
Indian Nation $87,350. In 2003, the Rural Housing
and Economic Development Grants awarded the Genesis
Fund $39,000 and in 2003 Rural Housing and Economic
Development Grants awarded $150,000 to the Sunrise
Co. Economic Development Council. Also in Maine in
2003, under the Rural Housing and Economic Development
Grants program, the Four Directions Development Corporation
got $400,000.
